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One man dead following incident in Clear Creek Canyon

The suspect died from gunshot wounds

A man suspected of being involved in an attempted homicide in Lafayette this past weekend died in a Lakewood hospital from gunshot wounds afflicted by law enforcement following an incident in Clear Creek Canyon.

Ryan Millsap, 19, was wanted out of Westminster on felony charges of aggravated motor vehicle theft and possession of a weapon by a previous offender, and Adams County on misdemeanor charges.

At about 8:45 p.m. on Nov. 4, Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies responded to assist the Colorado State Patrol with a suspicious vehicle in Clear Creek Canyon. The state trooper noticed the vehicle about 25 minutes earlier, parked on the south side of the roadway near mile marker 267 on Highway 6, which is about five miles west of the Highway 58 and Highway 93 intersection in Golden. The state trooper verified the license plate and learned that the vehicle was stolen and possibly associated with an attempted homicide in Lafayette that happened over the weekend.

Millsap and a juvenile female passenger appeared to be sleeping inside the vehicle. The law enforcement officers on scene initiated a felony stop on the vehicle, but before the occupants were contacted, the vehicle was put into gear and started to drive forward. One of the responding sheriff's deputies and the state trooper fired shots into the vehicle as it drove down the embankment and came to rest at the creek.

Millsap was transported to St. Anthony's Hospital with gunshot wounds and was later pronounced deceased at the hospital. The juvenile passenger was also transported with minor injuries sustained from the vehicle crash.

The investigation into the attempted homicide in Lafayette is active and ongoing. Just before 4 p.m. on Nov. 3, Lafayette Police officers responded to Achilles Circle, which is in the central area of the city, on a report of possible gunshots fired. Officers discovered that two rounds were fired from a handgun — one struck a vehicle and one entered a home. It is being investigated as an attempted homicide because people were inside the home.

The Critical Incident Response Team led by Arvada Police is conducting an independent investigation into the officer involved shooting on Nov. 4 in Clear Creek Canyon.

Investigators will work with the District Attorney's Office to determine whether the juvenile passenger will face any charges.

Highway 6 closed to traffic while law enforcement initiated the felony stop. It reopened just before 6 a.m. Nov. 5.

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